Baggage
by SilverCrystal029
Summary: Rogue and Remy have to deal with baggage when Sinister appears in their lives. Can what they have survive?
1. Chapter 1

"You know there's a price, Remy. _Everything_ has a price." In that moment, Remy LeBeau didn't care what Mr. Sinister said. His plans to divide the X-Men and turn them against him had failed. They were at his side, Kitty taking care to phase him quickly from chains. He wasn't sure how they'd located him so fast on the Scottish beach. He's thankful. Grateful. Especially to the white banged girl at his side, a hand clutching his shoulder, tight.

"We're_ here_ now," She says eyes locked on Remy's captor's face. She'd never seen anything like it. It was white, far whiter than her own pale face. And, his eyes glowed red like the diamond on his forehead. His hair was long and stringy, a lot like Sabretooth's. Dark. His armor was navy colored and reflective of light, shoulder pauldrons turning into spikes that towered high above his own head.

His mere presence made the whole team on edge, Logan's claws revealed. It was Jean, of all people, whose teeth were bared and clenched tightly. The man was evil, personified. They couldn't have come sooner, and just his aura was clinging to her's like a sticky, black stain. She could feel his intense connection to Scott, too. Infatuation. _Obsession_. Whatever it was, it made her skin crawl.

"I don't like this." She's quick to say as her boyfriend tries to appraise their new enemy. He doesn't like the look in his eye, either. He's looking at him and the red head like they were on the menu. "We... We should get Gambit and go." Scott didn't like running. This man was a menace, what they'd recovered in his lab said as much. His hand hovered indecisively over his visor.

He too can feel the strength of the man in front of them, but in the two years after Apocalypse they'd grown. He believes in their power, unwaveringly.

_"Rouge_ right," Remy agrees as Rogue and Kitty help him stand. "We should go." There's something Logan hears in the southerner's voice that he doesn't think he's heard before. Not when Rogue was stolen by Mesmero and Mystique (though his even demeanor hid a deep worry, even then). Not when Apocalypse rose. Not even, really, when he flashed his claws and threatened him on the bayou. Now, all he could smell was Remy's acrid fear and Rogue's concern.

He moves forward, but he's inclined to agree before Scott starts a confrontation they can't finish. "Can't believe I'm _sayin' this_, but I think I agree." He'd encountered many different bad types of people, but he'd never encountered someone like Mr. Sinister. Dark eyes watch as Remy sways on his feet.

"What did you want with Gambit?" Scott demands, ready to fire a shot at a moments notice.

"What do_ I_ want? Oh Scott, simply what is mine._ His life._" Scott's eyes narrow when he hears Rogue gasp. "But, none of this is _about_ him. It's all really about y_ou and your future wife_, over there. The golden chalices of mutant genes, ugh..." Both Kitty and Bobby frown when Sinister seems to make an aroused groan. Obsession didn't begin to cover the feelings he had about Scott.

"Scott? I-I'm serious. I _can't_ read his mind... And, he's not a mutant. At least, wasn't_ born_ one." A pain in Remy's head made him cry out. They weren't moving fast enough. Mr. Sinister was death. He was the thing that made them wish for death.

"You might think I'm going to torture you, _hurt_ you. Cause you great, unending pain... One that will follow you in all your lives." Laughing, he raises a fist as Kurt and Jean flinch and shield themselves. "And, _you thought right._"

Logan prepares to throw himself for the man when Rogue screams instead of Remy. His heart turns to ice as he doubles back mid-strike. He's sniffing and straining to hear, unable to accept what his senses told him_. 'NO, he knows-'_ Logan could not bring himself to deal with romantic relationships because he knew what was coming for his partner: his _past_. Remy's past had now caught up to all of them. "ROGUE,"

"She... She..." Kitty was bent over and studying her friend's face, her mouth agape in shock. He patted her face in mute horror. "C'mon, _cherie. Wake up_." She looks like she's sleeping, tired but too stubborn to admit it after one of Scott's Danger Room sessions. Draped lazily across him in the Rec room, where nobody can see. He looks up while Sinister laughs maniacally, Logan looking like flames might erupt from his eyes.

"This is your future, Gambit._ Enjoy it_." Storm rises to the air, taking that as a sign a fight needed to commence. Jean moved to follow, but halted when Storm soared out of the air.

_"Storm!"_ Remy screams from the ground. Rogue had already gone cold. Logan caught her with ease, peering down at her face in disbelief.

_"Ro..." _It couldn't be right. His nose, his ears. They had to be wrong.

"X-Men, le-" Jean shrieks when Scott follows suit, crumbing to the ground in an unnatural heap. Panic drags Jean's soul underwater, everything becoming fuzzy as she slowly realized what was happening. Logan set Ororo down as gently as he could, racking his brain to come up with an idea. Fast.

"Red-"

_"Scott, n_-" Then Kurt. Then Kitty. Bobby. Piotr. "STOP IT!"

"The price you pay to leave, is _all of them._" Remy grabbed his abandoned staff and began to charge it, angry tears welling in his eyes. This was _his_ fault, for ever having to do with Mr. Sinister. For trying to live a new life, a life without sin. He was being punished, and now they were all doomed. "Perfect work, Gambit. Just like we _always_ planned it." Rage filled Logan's eyes as he moved to get to Remy.

If he'd betrayed them, he wouldn't live another second. _"You did this..."_

_"Non_, wait!"

"You destroy-" Even Logan dropped to the ground, motionless.

"Now, you may go."

* * *

_'See your future.' _

"Remy? Say something?" Jean is leaning close to the cajun mutant (as close as Rogue will allow, anyways). He's flushed with sweat, and his eyes took on a glassy quality that the telepath suspected meant someone was in his mind. She already knew the man in front of them has psychic abilities, but it doesn't answer how he managed to, in the first place. Not even Charles could read or influence Remy's mind, he's the first mutant they've found with a natural immunity to telepathy.

If it were any indication of his power, they were in trouble.

"Gumbo? Talk to us." Logan demands, his eyes never leaving Mr. Sinister's face. Everyone's hearts were beating like a war drum inside of his sensitive ears.

"Yeah, c'mon. Are you_ alright?_" The twang in Rogue's voice seems to shake him from his stupor. He studies her face as the memories flood his mind, one after the other. Laying there, Dead, in his arms while he can only watch. Sinister had killed her as a joke. Just to hurt him. And, he knew better than all of them just how capable of that he was. _"Remy?"_

_"The price you pay to leave, is_ _all of them._"

_'As long as you are near that girl, know that when I kill her..._' He shut his eyes tight when even Kurt peered worriedly into his face._ 'Know, it was your fault for not staying away.'_ Remy placed a hand on his chestnut hair, trying desperately to erase horrifying images from his mind. Sinister was hovering silently, his stare anchored on his former protege. "Get out,_ get out!"_

Growling to herself, Rogue revealed a milky hand. "Ah don't know what he's doin', but Ah'm about to _find out_." She says, gauging the distance and length of time it'd take to reach him. Logan had taught her not to write checks her ass can't cash, but years of having a passive power had made her craftier than most think. Her sibling hooked a two fingered hand on her arm, his brow furrowed. He looked at her powers differently since she spun out, and he's far more weary of her using them than he used to be.

"Don't... Think that's a good idea." He says, trying not to shake as Mr. Sinister appraised them all. This wasn't any ordinary mission or adversary. He doesn't want to see what he'd do to his sister. Jean can see it in his stare, he knew very much about them all.

"Elf's right," Logan says. "He's not a mutant, at least not one _I've_ ever smelled." Sinister's grin cracked wider as Logan bristled in front of him.

"My, aren't _we_ perceptive? You can try to touch me. If you want. In fact, I'd _love_ that." Logan turns, knowing the girl he's trained was considering taking the challenge. Remy grabs her arm when he sees her calculating, again. He's gripping her tight like she might fall if he lets go.

_"Non_," He shuddered, the worry lines etched in his face making her frown. Just a thought to what Sinister could do to her, to her powers made him panic. "Stay away. _Promise me_!" She looks down when his grip tightens, despite her being as close to him as she could be. She searched his eyes for what was scaring him so bad, but only Sinister was there. Kurt moves to cut in between them, but she clasped a white hand over his gloved one.

"Okay." Is all she says, looking solemnly into his eyes. She hated being told what to do, and she had no tolerance for him ordering her around. But, she's never seen Remy have _fear._ Nothing like this. She had marveled at his cool demeanor when New Orleans came for them. He wasn't shaken by assassination attempts. But here, she saw a man on the edge of madness. Scared out of his mind. Scared, for her. "Okay. Ah_ promise."_

Both Kitty and Kurt notice the surprising response, looking uncertainly at the white skinned man in the air. He gave the smaller girl the heebee jeebies. And, he'd been undressing Scott with his eyes. She watched him, and she was getting creeped out.

"I really don't like this guy..." She says to anyone who can hear her.

"What're yo-" Jean's telepathic message interrupted Scott's words before they could start. He stood, leather jacket flapping outside of his uniform. Sinister smiles, studying at how strong Scott already was._ 'Coming along better than expected.'_

_'We should go._' He hasn't heard Jean sound so frightened, not since Charles took down the blocks on her powers and integrated them with Cerebro. Her powers did much more than he ever imagined. And, she could enter most minds. Not Sinister's, he was still an enigma. He was calm, this whole meeting seemed to be going according to plan._ His_ plan. _'This isn't a good idea. We aren't safe.'_

His fist tightened. Scott had a lot more questions he intended to ask Sinister, but there's nobody's opinion he respected more. Especially with her grown powers.

"This_ isn't_ over." He says, jabbing a finger at the ground. "I'm gonna get my answers. About all of this." Ororo and Piotr wrapped a blanket around Remy's shoulders, Rogue staring at him as she puts her glove back on. Nathaniel Essex's eyes crinkled as he smiled. He seems so amused by his words.

"Oh, I know. I'm _allowing_ it all to continue." Ororo flashed in a flare of lightning, indignant at not being regarded as a serious threat.

"I wonder what happens if I get struck?" Mr. Sinister questions with a light voice. Ororo's eyebrow arched as thunder clashed.

"The same thing as anything else, I'd _assume."_

_'Easy, 'Ro. He's messing with us. Big time.'_

_'I would not be rash. I just don't want him to think we'd take it._' The women don't look at each other when they communicate. The more time passed, the more they became like friends rather than the former's teacher.

"Well perhaps, _next time_..." The blue mutant gasps when he begins fade away, right before their eyes. Logan dashed forward, but there was nothing to be done. "We'll get a chance to find out." Soon, everything is silence besides the crashing waves on the beach. Rogue studied cloudy skies as she waited for Remy to face her. For some reason, he wouldn't meet her eyes. He'd locked her stare up until she left him on the bayou. But now, he wouldn't.

"Damn it..." Logan growls as everyone turns towards the jet.

"Let's go. Y'look terrible." She reaches to tilt his head up, but the man smacked her hand away. The atmosphere shifts, and before Kitty can complain Kurt teleports with her and her boyfriend. Remy can't manage to keep looking at her when her face breaks, like glass. He'd been more delicate with her when she was brainwashed.

"Stop_ bossin_' me around, _huh_?" He chooses, determined to make her_ want_ to be away from him. It'd been Rogue's pleas to look past Remy's questionable affiliations and stop him from getting himself killed to make it right. She was about to fly the plane herself before the team joined her. His hiss makes Logan stomp silently through the sand, one set of claws raised.

Scott blocked his way, his own face tight. "Logan, she's an adult. She told all of us she handles this." He isn't moved by the following snarl. "Even if he's being a jerk." He has to add. "She'll need to figure out what's going on, herself." He continued, mostly as a mumble.

"I think I already have..." Jean says, staring at the spot that Mr. Sinister had hovered.

"B-Bossin' you... Remy, Ah'm_ worried_ about you." It seems physically painful to try to articulate these feelings with words, but Remy didn't care about the struggle. She steeled her face and fought to find patience, silver hair falling in her face. Remy was very obviously going through something, and she was_ always_ going through something. And, he was always there for her. "This... Isn't like you. Tell me what's going on?"

Dread swirling in his stomach, Remy forced himself to look in her eyes. Black and red, haunting her. "Isn't like _moi?_ Y'don't _know_ me, Rogue." Even Jean is wincing as Rogue stands, in shock. "Not one bit." After worming his way near, busting down her walls, he says that. The things he'd done, the things he was capable of... Sinister had blown up his life, but this was the inevitable. The girl was a superhero, she would never shackle down with a thief.

He sees Mystique's daughter in front of him, determined to die before she shows her hurt. Let him know these vicious words have wounded her. That she actually believed he wouldn't say them. "Ya know, a_ thank you _would've sufficed." Her arms so stiff she felt like her elbows my overextend, she stomped to the jet.

Logan's head is tossed to the wind, eyes shut in disapproval. "Remind me of the part I said this wasn't gonna happen? Oh..."

"Isn't it obvious?" Jean can feel the immense fear and regret rolling off of Remy as he stood in the sand, alone. "Sinister got to him. I don't know how, but I think he got inside his _mind._" Scott stroked his chin and the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. Both men watched as she took to the air, and towards the plane waiting for them.

Jean entered to find Rogue sitting staunchly in the co-pilot seat, and the rest of those who fled, in the back. She moved to approached her teammate. but Kitty spoke.

"I... Wouldn't go back there..."

"We have already tried to ask." Piotr filled in, his eyes anchored on the back of Rogue's head. Like Kitty, she was small but scary.

Frowning, Jean turned back to approach her. Tears were silently streaming down her face as she faced forwards, arms crossed over her chest. She refused to dignify Jean with a look. Their friendship has gotten better, but she's still the last person she wants to see. So barely holding in an outburst, one she's going to prod at.

"Listen-"

"Please, talk to Gambit." Something clatters to the floor of the X-Jet when Kurt moves to hide. "And, before you complain... Remember I'm an_ empath._ I feel those around me, involuntarily." Rogue still doesn't face her, but Jean can tell by her blinks that she's listening. "Take it from someone who's spent a lot of time with someone who doesn't_ always_ say what they mean." The silver haired girl finally faces her with a deadpan look. "Gambit... Didn't mean those things he said to you."

Kitty can't hide her interest at the strange and unprecedented moment the girls were sharing. She's not so sure she's heard them exchange this many words. "And, I'm not saying it was okay of him to say, either. He should know by now that teams do things, together. We fill each other in." Jean almost flips her hair behind her shoulder triumphantly when Rogue sighs.

"Sinister. He threatenin' me, or_ somethin_'?" With a mother like Mystique, Rogue was familiar with threats. She reads the answer on her teammate's face. "We _talked_ about this. It was a stipulation of... Of, _whatever!_ She's never gonna leave me and Kurt alone. _She's_ gonna try to come between us." The psychic nodded, anger coursing through her veins as she remembers Scott stranded and blinded.

"I know. But, Mystique... That's _your_ baggage. He feels like this is... _His_ baggage, therefore he has to make decisions to protect you. He's being... A stubborn _man_. Trust me, you know I have experience with that, too." Rogue half smiled at that. She had a sneaking suspicion that Jean was talking about other stuff, too. Rogue can't help but be kind of glad Scott always had the sense not to pursue her. He could be so stubborn, so competitive; such a man. Such an antithesis of what he normally was, it would've crashed and burned. And, loudly. Jean can still see her silently wondering if she's built for all this. Relationships. "C'mon, I know you don't want to let him make this mistake. He's going to stay." He would stay, angsting on the beach about a choice he couldn't be expected to make.

"Is that all dating _is_? Fixing your significant other's messes?" Rogue scoffed in disgust. She spent a lot of her life alone. The college student stifled laughter.

"Yes, essentially." She placed a hand on Rogue's shoulder when she stood. "But sometimes, they clean up _yours._" The most annoying thing about Jean's talks is that they always made sense. Taking a deep breath. Rogue prepares herself for this conversation, and prays she doesn't kill him.


	2. Chapter 2

Rogue is not surprised to see Scott and Logan yelling into the cajun's face. The sun is trying to set behind clouds as Remy eats the lashing, knowing it's all needed to keep them safe. The tide laps at their ankles as Logan growls. He can't get the images Sinister imprinted out of his mind. "Thought Ah handled this, remember?" Both men make space for her when she walks over, arms anchored over her chest. She looks washed out. When the cajun sees her rub her elbows, he slipped out of his trench coat and wrapped it around her.

Seemingly satisfied, Logan and Scott hesitantly moved for the plane. This was when they were supposed to work it out. The younger of the two pauses and turned back to watch the two gaze in each other's facess. Neither's mouth moving.

_'Now, Scott.'_ He muses to himself about dating a telepath as Rogue and Remy are left alone.

"Ya_ done_ takin' my place for the angstiest person on the team?" His hair shifted as the wind blew between the two. "Ah _know_. Jean felt it. What's he say?" He almost can't believe it when she cocks her hands on her hips, standing there in uniform like she overheard gossip. This was her life, and she didn't seemed concerned. He studies slightly growing hair (that he loved) and the earrings lining her cartilage. He loved everything about her, that's why he had to make this decision. "He gonna kill me? Torture me. Use me to do his_ evil biddin'_? Do you know who Ah_ am_?"

He frowns with disapproval as she continues. "My own _mother_ has done all of that to me." Silence. The more he got to know Rogue and understand that time in her life, the more he hated it. He can't imagine Mystique rearing anyone. It's no wonder for the girl's tough exterior. "It's... It's nothing _new_, Remy." She wishes she had a better answer, but it's true. She's been bred to handle world ending disasters.

"Stop talkin' bout yourself like..." He admonished, sulking. She only exhaled.

_"Why_? It's the truth. Whatever he said... It's no reason to lie, to le-" She reached for him, but his arm doesn't move. It stings each time.

_"Isn't_ it?" She steps back when he moved closer to her, his eyes smoldering. Daring her to peer inside at his depravity. "Sinister in your life because of_ me_. If sometin' happened to you..." He clutches a tight fist as a pained look crosses his face. He's only become more protective of her as he's gotten to know what she's been through.

"You _really_ think the X-Men wouldn't have encountered him? Ah'm not sure the professor hasn't known, all along." She watches, helpless as he takes a few paces away. He was so erratic, earnest. She didn't know he was capable of some of these emotions. Maybe he was right, maybe she didn't know him. Maybe, he _should_ stay in Muir...

"He read me. Like a _book, Rogue._ I jus' left. If he wanted to kill Remy, hell, he prolly could. He wants to _hurt_ me," Her mouth dropped when he grabbed her arm, tears shining in his eyes. "He will _use_ ya to do dat. He will make it happen, Remy knows." He can't actively communicate the fear Sinister has him in. He is one of the only people capable of turning either of them into monsters. Shadows of themselves. "I'm _beggin'_ you to let me protect y-" He's silenced by a gloved finger on his lips.

"Protect me? By lyin'? Runnin' away? Y'know that's not the way how." She plants her feet firmly in the sand. "It's not because of _you,_ or _my_ baggage anymore. You told me Ah wasn't alone, anymore. Well... You aren't_, either._ Whatever it is... We deal with it, then. Together. You started this mess, don't have a choice, now." He didn't want to flee from her or use lies to make her hate him. He wasn't sure what else to do.

"But..."

"Like Ah said, this isn't somethin' new. Sinister's gonna have to get in line." Rogue pulled the trench coat around her as he sidled closer, hoping he still understood her off-putting sense of humor. Dozens of eyes had lined up in the jet windows, but they didn't pay attention. He had to have known she wouldn't let him get away with this. He's almost relieved she's so sharp. She'll hold him accountable. Slowly, he reached a glove hand to her hair.

"I'll _protect you_, okay?" Her lips upturn in a smirk. She's spent the past few years listening to Scott declare to protect Jean, and Logan's always watching over Ororo. But, he'd finally pledged it to her.

"That's better." Only she could've pulled a smile out of him after the couple of hours he's had. He brings her into his arms with a sigh.

"Would it be such a bad idea if Remy kissed ya, _right now..."_ He watches her eyebrow raise in surprise, hoping he's not stupid or crazy enough to try. He didn't need to start his return with a medbay visit.

"Yes, Gambit._ Definitely_." There's a mirth in her eyes he wants to always see. He wraps an arm around her waist.

"Oh..." He charms her just for the fun of it, a way he likes to flirt and keep her on her toes. The warm feeling washes over her, and she's a willing participant as she leans into his touch.

_"So_? What're you waiting for?" Her words bring a scarlet blush to the cajun's cheeks, shocked that the prudest girl of all had done it. He doesn't care about the headaches or the infirmary visit. He's felt as bad after a night of heavy drinking. A hangover to taste her lips would be far more worth it. She sees him working it out in his head and she covered his mouth with a hand.

She surprised them both by placing a peck on the back of her palm, eyes shut as if the kiss is real. Just like when she was taken by Mesmero. He finds himself speechless when she breaks apart, white cheeks fading to red. It was certainly her first kiss, as far as she can remember. He doesn't bring up that time to her, anyway. His eyes soften, and he wraps an arm around her.

_"Kissin'_ me, now? Start to t'ink you really like me." He feels triumphant and underserving of so much of her affection. She leaned her head on his chest as Kitty waved from the jet doors.

"Don't flatter yourself."


End file.
